The accumulation of residues on dental appliances (for example, full or partial plate dentures, removable braces, retainers, mouth guards, snoring devices, etc.) is a familiar and persistent problem for wearers of such appliances. These residues often consist of some combination of food particles and biofilm (i.e., plaque), the latter of which is a complex aggregate of oral bacteria, fungi and other organisms; this plaque is estimated to contain more than 100,000,000,000 organisms per milligram and involve more than 30 species. Many of these bacteria produce volatile sulfur compounds as waste products. If the dental appliance is not rid of food particles and biofilm on a regular basis, the malodourous waste products will accumulate, causing the wearer to exhibit bad breath. Even more serious is the potential for pathogenic bacteria to inhabit the biofilm, increasing the likelihood of infection for the wearer. Over time, the biofilm will be converted into dental calculus, which consists of inorganic mineralized salts derived from saliva, bacteria, and food particles, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,670,312 B2.
In addition to accumulation of residues on the appliance, staining is another widespread problem reported by wearers of dental appliances. Staining of dental appliances is particularly pronounced among coffee and tea drinkers, smokers, and those who use chewing tobacco. Stained dental appliances are unsightly and can be a source of embarrassment for the appliance wearer.
Although many wearers choose to brush their dental appliance with toothpaste (i.e., mechanical cleaning), others find it more convenient to soak their appliance in a cleansing solution. Some wearers do both, brush their dental appliance with toothpaste and soak in a cleansing solution. This cleansing solution is often generated by mixing a commercially available cleansing tablet or powder with water. Though such compositions have achieved considerable popularity and commercial success, there is a continuing need for improvement, especially with respect to plaque removal.
Chlorine dioxide is known to be a disinfectant, as well as a strong oxidizing agent. The bactericidal, algaecidal, fungicidal, bleaching and deodorizing properties of chlorine dioxide are also well known. However, chlorine dioxide is a troublesome material to transport and handle at high aqueous concentrations, due to its low stability and high corrosivity.
Accordingly, there is a need for simple, safe and convenient devices, systems and methods that are effective for disinfecting, cleaning, deodorizing, bleaching and removing plaque and other residues from a wide variety of dental appliances by the use of chlorine dioxide generated in situ.